SARATOGA SPRINGS -- With city residents rejecting charter change on Election Day, Mayor Scott Johnson said he is hoping to announce within the next two weeks the members of a committee charged with improving the city's existing government.

"I want them to get to work as soon as possible," Johnson said last week.

The committee will explore ways to improve the city's commission form of government and update its charter.

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In the lead-up to the election, Johnson outlined a few of the improvements he'd like to see.

For one, he said he would change the budgeting procedure.

Currently, if the City Council cannot agree on a budget, the comprehensive budget prepared by the Finance commissioner is automatically adopted. The mayor said he wants to require that the council adopt a budget.

He said he would also like to change some of the language in the charter to explicitly allow subcontracting of some services, like human resources, which the city does subcontract despite the objections of some city officials.

"Currently it's a matter of interpretation," Johnson said of that part of the charter.

The committee appointed by the mayor, though, will ultimately be responsible for coming up with suggestions.

Johnson said the committee will consist of 15 members, the most allowed by state law. Any proposed changes will ultimately be subject to a referendum vote.

He said he already has commitments from some committee members and is working to fill the remaining seats.

Johnson said he will not ask members of Saratoga Citizen, the group that got the charter change question on the ballot, to join the committee.

"They had an opportunity to present what they thought should be the changes," Johnson said.